Dec 18 Techie Europe

European technology start-ups are becoming increasingly bullish. “Traditionally, European companies looking to be acquired have looked to Silicon Valley for their salvation. Today, they’re looking to the US as a destination to acquire, demonstrate their success or to expand internationally,” Christopher Grew, partner at the technology companies group at law firm Orrick, says in The State of European Tech Report from Atomico and Slush.

Andreas Saari, CEO of Wave Ventures, believes Europe is well-positioned to produce the founders who are going to solve some of the biggest challenges.

“This is thanks to more and more investors who are willing to back some super ambitious teams and plans,” he says. “But we are also starting to see more entrepreneurs who are willing to move into that space, inspired by the example set by other European entrepreneurs.”

While Europe has always had strong technical talent from world-class universities in cities like Munich, Paris and Stockholm, we’re now seeing entrepreneurs with an innovation mindset and commercial DNA as well, adds Luciana Lixandru, partner at Accel

￼Global investors are taking notice of the world-class technology companies backed by European venture capital, and the returns being generated,” says Michael Collins, chief executive at Invest Europe. “Since 2012, more than 1,800 venture-backed technology companies, born in start-up hubs across the continent, have been exited.”